Bicycle MechanicsBroken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

I went with #3, thanks to the good advice here. It was no trouble - I had to force the LBS to let me pay for the spacers. Now all I need to do is get the chainline straight and I'mm set. I asked about that part over on SS/FG forum.

#3 is best, #1 will work (assuming it's steel), avoid #2 like the plague

Eh? Actually cold-setting the frame is a MUCH better idea than squishing the stays 6mm by hand every time you install a wheel. Of course, those are both much worse ideas than simply re-spacing hub, which fortunately is what the OP did.

Eh? Actually cold-setting the frame is a MUCH better idea than squishing the stays 6mm by hand every time you install a wheel. Of course, those are both much worse ideas than simply re-spacing hub, which fortunately is what the OP did.

Cold-setting the frame (option 2) introduces large possibilities for error that are not introduced by just tightening the axle nuts down (option 1) each time the wheel is installed. Option 1 is safe and also likely preserves proper chainline because it's likely that both left and right dropouts are equally likely to bend a given distance under a given force, so the wheel remains centered.

Of course, option 3 is indeed the best, and I'm glad that you were able to do it easily enough.

Option 1 is safe and also likely preserves proper chainline because it's likely that both left and right dropouts are equally likely to bend a given distance under a given force, so the wheel remains centered.

Even though only the right chainstay is crimped for chainwheel clearance? It doesn't seem likely at all to me. Have you tested this theory?

there's a tool that our local bicycle 'kitchen' had that I used, however, while converting my frame that was like an alignment tool to make sure that the dropouts were even/centered to begin with...the tool relies upon cold setting to adjust and it worked fine for me in perfectly aligning mine